The Taurus KEPD 350 is a stand-off, subsonic, cruise missile designed for precision strike. This modular, long-range weapon system was conceived for both land-attack and anti-ship missions. It is fitted with a two-stage, tandem MEPHISTO penetrator warhead. It uses combat aircraft as its launching platform, such as Eurofighter Typhoon, Panavia Tornado, and McDonnell Douglas EF-18E+.
Developed and produced by Taurus System GmbH, this expensive missile has been in service with the air forces of Sweden, Germany, Spain, and South Korea since 2003. The Taurus KEPD 350 can penetrate dense air defenses by flying at low levels, using a terrain-following navigation system. It was designed to penetrate and neutralize high-value stationary and semi-stationary targets. Officially, it has a range of 500 km (300 miles). However, according to some sources, its maximum range is 700 km.
The Taurus KEPD 350 features the programmable, multi-purpose fuse PIMPF. This allow the penetrator explosive to go off at a pre-selected layer of the target structure. Thus, it has the capability of destroying hard and deeply buried targets. Its navigation system is resistant to jamming. Adaptable to different carrier platforms (aircraft), it has surgical strike capability, under all weather conditions. Since it is a stand-off missile, it is equipped with folding wings and four tail fins, which provide it with flight stability and steerage on its flight towards the target.
Specifications
Type: Long-range, stand-off, air-to-surface cruise missile
Weight: 1,400 kg (3,100 pounds)
Length: 5 m (16 feet, 8.5 inches)
Wing Span: 2 m (6 feet, 9 inches)
Propulsion System: William P38300-15 turbofan engine
Maximum Speed: Mach .98
Range: 700 km
Guidance: inertial navigation system, GPS, and terrain following system.
Variants: KEPD 350E, KEPD 350K-2
Below, the Taurus missile as it has just been released from a flying combat aircraft.
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